Thank you for the opportunity to speak at this highly anticipated event. After two years of studying, tests, reflective statements, critical thinking, and most recently exams, we have completed the IB Diploma Programme.
Throughout these two years, we have made many decisions affecting the outcome of our exams, wellbeing and future. Some decisions have been good, some great, and some terrible. Overall however, I think we should be proud of our achievements, and I do believe the school is proud as well.

When students are asked, what is special or great about our school, two things are always mentioned. Firstly, the 800-year long and prosperous legacy of our school, a legacy teachers, staff and students alike all take great pride in being a part of. I think this class has contributed positively to this legacy, with good academic results, engagement in student-led activities, and good results in the science competitions. This year, our school will have four competitors representing Norway in the various international science Olympiads, including Victoria and myself, this is the most of any school in Norway.

Secondly, we are proud of the diversity of students, accepting social environment and personal engagement in issues outside of the academic. The IB fits these descriptors exactly. Our class is made up of multiple nationalities from many continents, has a wide range of personalities and interests, and is omnipresent in the various extracurricular activities of our school. In every committee, club or other activity, such as the school paper and Hugin, IB students can always be found. This may of course, to some extent be due to our CAS requirement, but I do believe similar levels of engagement would be present regardless.

It is also important to mention the academics. Though the Extended Essays and Individual Investigations was a headache for many and often resulted in some trivial, uninteresting investigations, it taught us important skills that other school systems do not provide. I therefore think it is important that we personally thank those who have guided us throughout these two years.

For me personally, I would like to thank all my teachers, including Per Kristian, Tor Edvard, and Åshild.

• I would especially like to thank Jens-Petter and Øystein for giving me the freedom to learn and develop independently, whilst also providing guidance when needed.

• I would also like to thank Christa, the platonic ideal of teachers, who corrected every past paper we wrote leading up to the exams, provided us with a wide range of resources to improve our writing, and gave exceptional guidance with outstanding personal engagement during our two years in English class.

• Lastly, but most importantly, I would like to thank Erik Holst, who provided me with inspiration, challenges, support and guidance in maths for three years, making maths my favourite subject.

最后，我要感谢对我而言最重要的一位老师，Erik Holst。三年以来，他给予了我无限 的启发、挑战、支持和教导，并让数学成为了我最喜爱的学科。As we got closer to the end of our years at IB, I, along with all my classmates expected a profound sense of relief and happiness to strike the moment our last exams were finished. For me, this was supposed to be on the morning of the 17th of May, an additional cause of celebration. And though we all undoubtedly celebrated, I was never struck by the sudden sense of liberty, freedom and joy. I consulted with my friends on this matter, and they all had the same experience, or rather the lack of any experience. We all still felt that there was another exam tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on. After traumatic experiences, for example war, many are diagnosed with something called post-traumatic stress disorder. I think we all have post-exam stress disorder.随着我们的 IB 课程临近结束，我和同学们都热切期待着最后一场考试收卷的那一刻，以及它将带给我们的由衷的欣慰与幸福。对我而言，那应该是万众狂欢的挪威国庆节五月十七日的上 午——一个额外的庆祝理由。尽管我们也都庆祝了，但我从未被那突然到来的自由、自主和喜悦的瞬间所打动。也许是因为我们阅历尚浅，没有足够的承受能力，当我和朋友们讨论这时， 他们也都表示有同样的感受。我们甚至仍然觉得明天还会有一场考试等着我们，然后还有后天， 无穷无尽。在遭受心理创伤时，比如说战争过后，许多人会患上创伤后应激障碍。我想，我们这也可以叫作“考试后应激障碍”。The cause may be a subconscious anticipation, or rather anxiety for the exam results on the 6th of July. The judgment of whether or not university conditions will be met, on whether or not applications for retakes will be submitted, and on whether or not dreams will be crushed. For consolation, I would like to quote the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. This is also the time to thank parents and family, for providing us with comfort and encouragement when we need it the most.究其缘由，可能是我们潜意识中对于七月六日考试结果的期待，或者说是焦虑，因为这个结果将决定我们能否满足大学的入学条件，是否需要补考，又是否会梦想破灭。为了能够得到一丝慰藉，我愿引用英国前首相 Winston Churchill 的一句话，“成功并不是终点，失败也不是尽 头:唯勇气长存”。现在也是感谢我们的父母和家人的时刻，因为他们总会在我们最需要的时候带来安慰和鼓励。Another cause of post-exam stress may be anticipation and fear of the future. The realisation that our years at Katten are finished, and that we will soon embark on a journey to the unknown and unfamiliar. Though the IB Programme at times was filled with torment and anguish, it has nevertheless been a safe and consistent experience. Now, there is less certainty of what our futures hold. For encouragement, I would like to quote the American author John Shedd. “A ship in harbor is safe – but this is not what ships are built for”.

After two years in each other’s company, it is now time for each one to embark on a journey, all to different locations, and though our dreams and ambitions span a wide range, I believe that our paths will cross again, sometime in the future, when we are all a bit older, and a bit wiser. Sometimes I like to think back to myself two or three years ago, and am amused by how little I knew, bathing in the bliss of ignorance, thinking I knew so much. Now I stand here today, having attained a broad and balanced body of knowledge, but instead of feeling enlightened, I am more curious than ever for what more there is to learn. For inspiration, I would like to quote the Italian painter Michelangelo. “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”